About Third Wave Fund

Third Wave Fund is a feminist, activist fund led by young women of color, queer and trans people under the age of 35. Since our founding in 1996, we have been the largest funder of youth-led grassroots gender justice organizations in the United States. We’ve made over $3.3 million in grants to hundreds of grassroots gender justice organizations. 

For twenty years, Third Wave has been a leader in gender justice, a movement to end patriarchy, transphobia, homophobia and misogyny. We fund groups that recognize gender oppression is linked to classism, racism, ageism, ableism and all other forms of oppression.

We partner with donors and activists to ensure that young people have the tools to make lasting change in their communities. Our grantees focus on a variety of interlocking issues including reproductive justice, transgender rights, racial justice, and sex worker rights. We support groups from the ground up through funding, training and relationship building with other funders.

Communications Officer Position Summary

The Communications Officer is responsible for the overall communications strategies of Third Wave Fund. The ideal candidate will be a communications nerd with a broad base of storytelling and writing skills deployed across a variety of channels including print, video, and social media.

A successful candidate will be engaging and strategic and will be effective at crafting messaging for a range of audiences. They will have deep experience both developing and executing strategic communications campaigns and must be able to adapt quickly to changing situations and unexpected opportunities while maintaining momentum towards long-term goals.

This new position will report directly to the Executive Director and work closely with staff. Third Wave values staff leadership and this position has great potential for growth and learning.

Essential Responsibilities

Strategic Communications

• Work in partnership with Third Wave’s Executive Director to develop and execute communications strategies that advance our mission and raise the profile of the organization and our grantee partners.
• Develop an annual communications plan and project manage multiple channels, including blogs, social media, video, email marketing, web, infographics, and print.
• Grow Third Wave Fund’s digital and print audiences with targeted messaging strategy.
• Report and monitor metrics to regularly assess the effectiveness of communications.
• Provide support and training for staff and board to represent Third Wave effectively on digital platforms, in speaking engagements, and with press and media.
• Manage key messaging, branding, and style guides and ensure consistency and accuracy of messaging and branding guidelines.
• Support communications needs of grantees, program staff, and development team.
• Develop story-forward strategies to uplift Third Wave grantees and donors.

Media Relations

• Manage and implement effective pro-active and re-active media strategies by elevating the presence and profile of Third Wave’s profile and that of our grantees partners.
• Develop a press list and build strong relationships with key media outlets focused on philanthropy, LGBT rights, feminism, reproductive rights and racial justice.
• Manage all press and media requests.

Management and Administration

• Develop and manage a communications calendar and project manage communications assets in a timely fashion.
• Work with vendors (such as graphic designers, web developers, printers) to see major projects through completion and ensure brand consistency.
• Manage volunteers and interns supporting communications production.

Publications, Website, and Social Media

• Manage digital platforms and develop assets for Third Wave’s website, listserv, social media, and print collateral to message to existing stakeholders and new audiences.
• Develop and manage all content for Third Wave’s website and manage all web back-end.
• Author consistent, and compelling content for e-blasts, annual reports, and grant dockets.
• Create and post all social media content.

Essential Qualifications

• At least 3-5 years of relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrable commitment to Third Wave’s mission, vision and values.
• Demonstrable ability to work independently and as a part of in-person and virtual teams.
• Strong writing skills for digital, print, and media.
• Experience developing and maintaining press and media lists.
• Experience working with online databases and messaging platforms such as MailChimp.
• Basic graphic design skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, and ability to effectively and professionally communicate with a diverse, intergenerational, cross-class, and multi-cultural range of audiences.
• Understanding of the youth organizing landscape and queer, feminist, and transgender movements with a focus on racial, gender, economic, and disability justice, etc.
• Eager and open-minded attitude, including the ability to problem solve as needed.
• Comfort giving and receiving feedback.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with grassroots fundraising, development, and/or community organizing.
• Basic HTML knowledge.
• Knowledge about social justice philanthropy.
• Ability to create content in both English and Spanish. 

Work Environment and Job Functions

Third Wave Fund has three full-time staff who work remotely. The Communications Officer will be joining a small team that is collaborative, fast-paced, and evolving.

• This position has no physical demands or requirements with regards to walking, standing, climbing, lifting, or carrying.
• This position requires regular internal and external communication and use of a phone and computer and the ability to read, write, and speak in English.
• The work environment for this position is flexible and may include a combination of co-working and home-based office space.
• This position requires minimal overnight travel. 

Third Wave Fund is fiscally sponsored by the Proteus Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, and an equal opportunity employer.